The present invention relates to a retainer for a one-way clutch of the roller type, more particularly to a retainer made of a synthetic resin so as to prevent rollers from falling off out of the pockets of the retainer either inward or outward in the radial direction of the retainer.
A conventional retainer for a one-way clutch was disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,333. The retainer is made of a synthetic resin, and includes a pair of annular portions located at a distance from each other in the axial direction of the retainer, a plurality of column portions disposed at equal intervals along the circumference of the retainer and coupling the annular portions to each other along the axis of the retainer, and elastic finger members which are springs integrally provided on the sides of the column portions, toward which rollers housed in roller pockets defined by the annular portions and the bridges are moved when the one-way clutch is disengaged. Both the elastic finger members on each of the column portions extend from their proximal ends on the column portion to their distal end tips in the form of V. The rollers housed in the roller pockets are pushed, by the tips of the elastic members, toward the opposite sides of the bridges, which are located opposite the former sides thereof, on which the elastic finger members are provided. The width of each of the elastic finger members is nearly uniform from their proximal ends to their distal ends. Pads are provided on the obverse and reverse sides of each of the elastic finger members at the distal end tip thereof so that the thickness of the tip is larger than that of the other part of the elastic finger member. The step of a central boss at the proximal ends of both the elastic finger members and an overhang provided on the inner part of the- side of the column portion, toward which the roller housed in the roller pocket is moved when the one-way clutch is engaged, prevent the roller from falling off out of the pocket inward in the radial direction of the retainer. When the one-way clutch is disengaged, the rollers are moved toward the sides of the column portions, on which the elastic finger members are provided. At that time, both the elastic finger members are elastically deformed toward the sides of the column portions by the rollers, and the pads provided on the elastic finger members at the tips thereof limit the displacement of the rollers and the elastic deformation of the elastic finger members to reduce the stress of the elastic finger members elastically deformed. Since the elastic finger members need to be prevented from being plastically deformed, the pads are provided on the distal end tips of the elastic finger members to limit the elastic deformation of the elastic finger members to reduce the stress thereof. However, since the elastic finger members and the pads are small in size if the one-way clutch is a compact one, it is difficult to process molding dies so as to create the elastic finger members and the pads and it is necessary to very carefully separate the dies from the molded retainer. Consequently, the process and equipment for manufacturing the retainer are complicated and expensive.